Ex-Secretary at Coke Guilty of Trade-Secrets Theft

Published: February 3, 2007

A federal jury rejected a former Coca-Cola secretary's claim that she was duped by two accomplices and convicted her Friday of conspiring to steal trade secrets from the world's largest beverage maker in an effort to sell them to its rival, Pepsi.

The former secretary, Joya Williams, showed no visible reaction when the verdict was announced. She remains free on bond, pending sentencing.

The jury deliberated for 11 1/2 hours over three days. On Thursday, jurors told Judge J. Owen Forrester of Federal District Court that they could not reach a decision. The judge told the jury to try again Friday.

Ms. Williams was fired as a secretary to Coca-Cola's global brand director at the company's Atlanta headquarters after the accusations came to light.

The government said she stole confidential documents and samples of products and gave them to Ibrahim Dimson and Edmund Duhaney as part of a conspiracy to sell the items to PepsiCo for at least $1.5 million.

The conspiracy was foiled after Pepsi received a letter in May 2006 offering Coca-Cola trade secrets to the ''highest bidder.'' Pepsi warned Coca-Cola, and the F.B.I. started an undercover investigation.

Mr. Dimson and Mr. Duhaney have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Mr. Duhaney testified during the trial that Ms. Williams spearheaded the scheme.

The government said Ms. Williams was deeply in debt, unhappy in her job and seeking a big payday.

A lawyer for Ms. Williams, Janice Singer, suggested that Mr. Dimson and Mr. Duhaney stole the documents and samples from Ms. Williams without her knowledge and conspired to sell them to Pepsi behind her back.

Ms. Williams testified that she did not steal anything from Coke, but rather took documents and product samples home to protect herself in case her boss questioned whether she was doing her job.